What has happened to the models?

This is a little off topic, but it has come up a few times here and in other posts. How do you feel about the quality of models? Are they generally good at holding a pose, maintaining their gaze? Staying awake?

In another thread someone said that the model takes a break every 20 minutes. At a recent workshop, our models took breaks that often too. The last model, though, kept falling asleep or yawning constantly, looking around, and shifting her pose. This was a portrait class, so the shadows were really important. I was verrrrry displeased.

Now, I may be a butt about this, because I was a model for 2 years in college. Back then (1989 or so) we had to audition for the gig, and they trained us briefly on what was expected (don't move!) and the artists' interest in models so we would know what was a good pose. Is this the norm? Also we took a break every 50 minutes during long poses. Okay, yes, I did pass out a few times during standing poses, but I took that job very seriously!

I think that lots of people are shy about talking with the model. If you would like more seated or standing poses, you should ask, because most people are nice about that. Also you can ask for a short pose to be repeated facing a different direction if that's helpful. The best classes were ones where the students acted like the model was a valued partner and participant in the process, and so being asked to do something was rather a compliment.

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Lisa, I've found a wide variety of folks end up modeling. Often the free thinking folks that feel comfortable about their bodies etc. are also the ones that don't eat meat or drink coffee. They are often very laid back. I actually like many of these folks better as people than as models.

I try to screen my models to some degree before the sessions, then I pay them well and expect that they work. They are often just kids, literally in some cases, but even college age is pretty youthful to me. The break schedule is related to the pose. I don't hire union models - and the truth is I've not seen that professional models are much better than relaxed amateurs.

[Marvin Mattelson]

If you don't like the models where you paint, take an active role in their selection or complain loudly to the person who signs them up.

At the School of Visual Arts in NYC where I teach my two ongoing classes, I work with Jim, the model coordinator. He is the third, and by far the best, since I began my life painting classes and is really terrific. He was formerly a model himself and successfully posed in my classes. I have a priority check list regarding my models. First: do they show up on time? Second: can they hold still? Third: beyond one and two, everything else is a bonus.

Usually the models I get are terrific and as a result, the student work is too. Chasing the model around the painting is very frustrating for those with little experience (and sometimes for those with more than a little).

Keep in mind that models as a profession are just like any other. Be it doctors, lawyers, teachers, portrait artists or whatever, most people are relatively incompetent and it is your responsibility as the consumer to do the research.

The professionalism of the models dramatically impacts on the success of the students, which in turn reflects in enrollment (unhappy students don't return) and since $$$ are the bottom line (as far as institutions are concerned) the models understand, that if they screw up, they're history.

As a result the vast majority of the models I use are wonderful. And everyone is very, very happy.